Using Wii to Get in Shape: Will It Work?

New trend...forget the gym and get a Wii? Wii and BMI...tied together...prescriptions for a Wii any time soon and become a "family affair"....there's still one lacking component and that is the social portion of going to a gym...we all still need to communicate and function like humans..the bottom line, so time will tell the story one where exactly a Wii fits in to our lifestyles...in the meantime, "get up and boogy"...BD

Wii Fit, which hits American store shelves May 19, is a combination workout video and electronic exercise log that charts players' progress on a series of exercises, as well as weight and body mass index (BMI); think Brain Age for your body. "One of my bigger concerns is that it teaches that physical activity is not a part of your everyday routine," Rao said. "I can't see children sustaining this for very long. At best it will be a novelty for a few hours or a few days, even."

After a player's Wii Fit age is determined, he or she gets a stamp, much like Brain Age, and then moves on to a variety of exercises divided into four categories: strength training, aerobics, yoga and balance games. The game also allows players to set goals and keep track of their total daily minutes working out. Any workout time away from the Wii — at the gym, for example — can be recorded on Wii Fit.